Veggie List for Week 8:
Pick-Ups 2/2 and 2/5
Carrots
Pac Choy
Arugula
Salad Mix
Sunflower Microgreens
Sweet Potatoes
Shiitake Mushrooms
January 28, 2011
January 26, 2011
Week 7 Newsletter
Week #7 January 26 , 2011
We really didn’t realize how much of a hurry we were in until the calls and emails began. So the first order today is to correct the brochure. The fruit share will include all of the fruits (grapes, pears, etc.) for the summer, not just apples. So sorry for this confusion! We’ll correct it before we print again! Thanks to all of you who have responded to the Summer 2011 Reservation letter. This is giving us great information about the number of shares to be sold for the summer. If you haven’t done so yet, please take a moment and let us know what your plans are.
Last week’s snow storm caused school closings and delays in this region, but nothing stopped our fearless crew. Through snowy unplowed roads, they came out in all sorts of nasty weather. Our hats are off to them and their dedication to getting the job done well. As a business, we are very fortunate to have all of them! Now if we can just eat enough veggies to become immune to all illnesses being passed this winter….
Planning for summer continues. We have received the new certification packet from OEFFA. Fortunately, this year we get to use the shorter version. We complete the longer one every 2 to 3 years. The price for the certification this year has gone up $150 dollars, but is still a good deal for all of the work put in by the inspector, and the certification staff who reviews the reports. The seeds are beginning to arrive, and Dan has begun the process of recording them in the log books we are required to keep. These logs contain seed source information in addition to records of all inputs. When we are inspected, this verification is always requested. It is certainly a far cry from the 1980’s when we first started with inspections.
On Thursday, Kip and I are leaving for 10 days for our first vacation away from the farm in 6 years. We are excited to be going, but a little nervous despite all of the preparations. We are certain that the amazing folks who grow, pick and pack you shares each week will continue with the same dedication that is their standard. Cale will be joined by Rob on the truck for deliveries.
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, Rob, Cale, Julia, Penny, Guinevere, and Morgan
THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 5 varieties of lettuce, mizuna, and pe-tsai. The last two are mild Asian greens. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any extra drops of water that can form.
Mushrooms - Shiitakes this week. We hope you aren’t getting too bored with these yet. We are arranging the schedule to bring you oyster mushrooms soon.
MicroMix Microgreens – Wow! We are so pleased to bring you the other microgreens that we grow. Unlike the sunflower ones, these are more delicate, don’t store as well, and have the tangy flavor of cabbage and radish.
Sweet Potatoes - We weren’t joking when we said there was a bumper crop of sweet potatoes. We’re pleased to offer these sa-vory spuds again.
Turnips – New to the shares last week, this is a variety called Purple Top White Globe. They are crunchy and flavorful raw, grated into salad or marinated for a raw veggie plate. Also tasty mashed like potatoes or roasted like other root veggies.
Swiss Chard- We glad to have this favorite back this week. The mild flavor of chard makes it the all around choice for most cus-tomers. It’s the only green that grows well in winter and summer.
Spinach - We increase these plantings each year, but we just never seem to have enough! A new item this week, and it’s loaded with Vitamin A & flavor!
The Combo Corner
The apple selections from Cherry Orchard this week are Mutsu, Fuji, Yellow/Golden Delicious, and Red Delicious.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is the French Galette.
Recipes
Buttery Spinach and Mushrooms
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup sliced baby porta bella mushrooms (yes, sub shiitake.)
½ cup thinly sliced leeks
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh spinach
¼ cup grated parmesan
In a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil together over medium-high heart. Add the mu-shrooms and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broth, cream, lemon juice, and salt; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the spinach, and lower the heat, stirring frequently, until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the cheese and stir to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
~foodnetwork.com
This is a repeat from last week. It is such a versatile recipe, I thought we should repeat it for folks this week too: At this year’s Producer Appreciation Night at the Casa Nueva Restaurant, they served Creamed Greens and those were a hit with lots of folks. Alex graciously shared the recipe with us. (Any green will work with this recipe.) Thanks to Alex and all the terrific folks at the Casa! It was once again a fun event filled with wonderful Casa food – this is an annual dinner they host to say thank you to the many local producers that sell to them.
ALEX’S CREAMED GREENS
4 servings
In 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil/Bacon Grease, sweat out:
¼ cup of minced onion until translucent -
½-1 whole clove minced garlic until it starts to brown
Sprinkle: Garlic Powder, 1 pinch.
Cook until it starts to stick to pan.
Add: 1 tablespoon White Wine Cook, until almost evaporated.
Add: 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream Cook, reducing by 1/3.
Add: 1 heaping tablespoon Chevre
1 heaping tablespoon shredded Parmesan
Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste (Remember, you can always add more later, but you can’t take it out!
In a separate pan, cook: 1 tablespoon Butter until it starts to darken and releases a nutty aroma; Don’t Burn! Stir it into your Cream Sauce; keep it warm, but don’t continue to reduce.
Have ready:
2 qts. Choice of Greens, thinly sliced (or how you like them)
In another pot/pan, cook greens in about 1/3 cup water until tender; drain. Stir into Cream Sauce.
Can be prepared a day in advance and reheated gently.
Smokey Sweet Potato Chicken Soup
2 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 ribs celery
1 large onion, peeled & chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 chipotle chili in adobo, finely chopped, plus a spoon of sauce from the can
Salt and Black pepper
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
5 cups chicken stock
1 large sweet potato
¾ to 1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
¼ cup cilantro leaves, a generous handful, coarsely chopped
½ cup sour cream, optional
Heat a soup pot over medium-highh heat with 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, about 2 turns of the pan.
While the soup pot heats, chop carrots in half lengthwise then slice into thin half moons. Add the carrots to the pot while it heats, stir-ring to coat the carrots in the oil. Chop and drop in celery and onion, chopping as small as you can, but don’t make yourself crazy. Add the garlic, chipotle, and adobo sauce and stir to combine. Season the veggies with salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook the veggies together 1 minute. Add the wine and reduce a minute. Add the stock to the pot, cover the pot, and raise heat to high. Bring the soup to a boil, remove the cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into quarters lengthwise, then thinly slice into bite size pieces. Add the cut chicken and sweet potatoes and simmer 5 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through. Turn the heat off and add the scallions and cilantro. Serbe each portion of soup with a dollop of sour cream on top.
~foodnetwork.com
We really didn’t realize how much of a hurry we were in until the calls and emails began. So the first order today is to correct the brochure. The fruit share will include all of the fruits (grapes, pears, etc.) for the summer, not just apples. So sorry for this confusion! We’ll correct it before we print again! Thanks to all of you who have responded to the Summer 2011 Reservation letter. This is giving us great information about the number of shares to be sold for the summer. If you haven’t done so yet, please take a moment and let us know what your plans are.
Last week’s snow storm caused school closings and delays in this region, but nothing stopped our fearless crew. Through snowy unplowed roads, they came out in all sorts of nasty weather. Our hats are off to them and their dedication to getting the job done well. As a business, we are very fortunate to have all of them! Now if we can just eat enough veggies to become immune to all illnesses being passed this winter….
Planning for summer continues. We have received the new certification packet from OEFFA. Fortunately, this year we get to use the shorter version. We complete the longer one every 2 to 3 years. The price for the certification this year has gone up $150 dollars, but is still a good deal for all of the work put in by the inspector, and the certification staff who reviews the reports. The seeds are beginning to arrive, and Dan has begun the process of recording them in the log books we are required to keep. These logs contain seed source information in addition to records of all inputs. When we are inspected, this verification is always requested. It is certainly a far cry from the 1980’s when we first started with inspections.
On Thursday, Kip and I are leaving for 10 days for our first vacation away from the farm in 6 years. We are excited to be going, but a little nervous despite all of the preparations. We are certain that the amazing folks who grow, pick and pack you shares each week will continue with the same dedication that is their standard. Cale will be joined by Rob on the truck for deliveries.
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, Rob, Cale, Julia, Penny, Guinevere, and Morgan
THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 5 varieties of lettuce, mizuna, and pe-tsai. The last two are mild Asian greens. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any extra drops of water that can form.
Mushrooms - Shiitakes this week. We hope you aren’t getting too bored with these yet. We are arranging the schedule to bring you oyster mushrooms soon.
MicroMix Microgreens – Wow! We are so pleased to bring you the other microgreens that we grow. Unlike the sunflower ones, these are more delicate, don’t store as well, and have the tangy flavor of cabbage and radish.
Sweet Potatoes - We weren’t joking when we said there was a bumper crop of sweet potatoes. We’re pleased to offer these sa-vory spuds again.
Turnips – New to the shares last week, this is a variety called Purple Top White Globe. They are crunchy and flavorful raw, grated into salad or marinated for a raw veggie plate. Also tasty mashed like potatoes or roasted like other root veggies.
Swiss Chard- We glad to have this favorite back this week. The mild flavor of chard makes it the all around choice for most cus-tomers. It’s the only green that grows well in winter and summer.
Spinach - We increase these plantings each year, but we just never seem to have enough! A new item this week, and it’s loaded with Vitamin A & flavor!
The Combo Corner
The apple selections from Cherry Orchard this week are Mutsu, Fuji, Yellow/Golden Delicious, and Red Delicious.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is the French Galette.
Recipes
Buttery Spinach and Mushrooms
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup sliced baby porta bella mushrooms (yes, sub shiitake.)
½ cup thinly sliced leeks
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh spinach
¼ cup grated parmesan
In a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil together over medium-high heart. Add the mu-shrooms and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broth, cream, lemon juice, and salt; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the spinach, and lower the heat, stirring frequently, until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the cheese and stir to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
~foodnetwork.com
This is a repeat from last week. It is such a versatile recipe, I thought we should repeat it for folks this week too: At this year’s Producer Appreciation Night at the Casa Nueva Restaurant, they served Creamed Greens and those were a hit with lots of folks. Alex graciously shared the recipe with us. (Any green will work with this recipe.) Thanks to Alex and all the terrific folks at the Casa! It was once again a fun event filled with wonderful Casa food – this is an annual dinner they host to say thank you to the many local producers that sell to them.
ALEX’S CREAMED GREENS
4 servings
In 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil/Bacon Grease, sweat out:
¼ cup of minced onion until translucent -
½-1 whole clove minced garlic until it starts to brown
Sprinkle: Garlic Powder, 1 pinch.
Cook until it starts to stick to pan.
Add: 1 tablespoon White Wine Cook, until almost evaporated.
Add: 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream Cook, reducing by 1/3.
Add: 1 heaping tablespoon Chevre
1 heaping tablespoon shredded Parmesan
Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste (Remember, you can always add more later, but you can’t take it out!
In a separate pan, cook: 1 tablespoon Butter until it starts to darken and releases a nutty aroma; Don’t Burn! Stir it into your Cream Sauce; keep it warm, but don’t continue to reduce.
Have ready:
2 qts. Choice of Greens, thinly sliced (or how you like them)
In another pot/pan, cook greens in about 1/3 cup water until tender; drain. Stir into Cream Sauce.
Can be prepared a day in advance and reheated gently.
Smokey Sweet Potato Chicken Soup
2 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 ribs celery
1 large onion, peeled & chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 chipotle chili in adobo, finely chopped, plus a spoon of sauce from the can
Salt and Black pepper
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
5 cups chicken stock
1 large sweet potato
¾ to 1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
¼ cup cilantro leaves, a generous handful, coarsely chopped
½ cup sour cream, optional
Heat a soup pot over medium-highh heat with 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, about 2 turns of the pan.
While the soup pot heats, chop carrots in half lengthwise then slice into thin half moons. Add the carrots to the pot while it heats, stir-ring to coat the carrots in the oil. Chop and drop in celery and onion, chopping as small as you can, but don’t make yourself crazy. Add the garlic, chipotle, and adobo sauce and stir to combine. Season the veggies with salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook the veggies together 1 minute. Add the wine and reduce a minute. Add the stock to the pot, cover the pot, and raise heat to high. Bring the soup to a boil, remove the cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into quarters lengthwise, then thinly slice into bite size pieces. Add the cut chicken and sweet potatoes and simmer 5 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through. Turn the heat off and add the scallions and cilantro. Serbe each portion of soup with a dollop of sour cream on top.
~foodnetwork.com
January 21, 2011
Week 7 Veggie List
Veggie List for Week 7:
Pick-Ups 1/26 & 1/29
Spinach
Salad Mix
Microgreens Mix
Shiitake Mushrooms
Sweet Potatoes
Turnips
Swiss Chard
Pick-Ups 1/26 & 1/29
Spinach
Salad Mix
Microgreens Mix
Shiitake Mushrooms
Sweet Potatoes
Turnips
Swiss Chard
January 19, 2011
Week 6 Newsletter
Week #6 January 19, 2011
With two days of glorious sunshine, it’s easy to smile. With evening temperatures breaking above freezing, stress on plants and farmers is relaxed a bit. With the increasing few minutes of light each day, spring’s fast-paced fury lurks. Today, we ordered all of the seasonal start-up hardgood supplies. Over the weekend, all of the seeds were ordered. More intern visits are scheduled for late February. All of this plus the daily routines of receiving orders, harvesting, packing, and delivering are keeping us ‘plenty busy’. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. We are so grateful to be able to provide this bounty for the community. Thanks for all you do for us.
We emailed the “You Have a Reservation” letters on Monday, and thanks to all of you who have responded so far! If you did not receive one, please let us know so we can send it to you pronto! If you will be re-joining us or not, we really appreciate that you let us know your intentions. Thanks, thanks, and thanks. On Thursday this week, Julia is going to revive the Facebook postings. Many of you were happy when we started this last summer. In the hustle and bustle, I’m embarrassed to say that I forgot about it. But we were reminded, and want to make it as easy as possible for you to access all of the information, so look for us there as well as on the blog. And don’t forget to make us your ‘friend.’
One recipe this week is from our friends at Casa Nueva Restaurant. We sell them lots of greens! At this year’s Producer Appreciation Night, they served Creamed Greens and those were a hit with lots of folks. Alex graciously shared the recipe with us. (Any green will work with this recipe.) Thanks to Alex and all the terrific folks at the Casa! It was once again a fun event filled with wonderful Casa food – this is an annual dinner they host to say thank you to the many local producers that sell to them. Having just heard the weather forecast, it looks like we will be ‘battening-down the hatches’ again at the end of the week. Be safe, stay warm, and eat your veggies!
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, , Rob, Cale, Julia, Penny, Guinevere and Morgan
THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 5 varieties of lettuce, mizuna, and pe-tsai. The last two are mild Asian greens. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any extra drops of water that can form.
Mushrooms - Shiitakes this week. We hope you aren’t getting too bored with these yet. We are arranging the schedule to bring you oyster mushrooms soon.
MicroMix Microgreens – Wow! We are so pleased to bring you the other microgreens that we grow. Unlike the sunflower ones, these are more delicate, don’t store as long, and have the tangy flavor of cabbage and radish.
Sweet Potatoes - We weren’t joking when we said there was a bumper crop of sweet potatoes. We’re pleased to offer these savory spuds again.
Turnips – New to the shares this week, this is a variety called Purple Top White Globe. They are crunchy and flavorful raw, grated into salad or marinated for a raw veggie plate. Also tasty mashed like potatoes or roasted like other root veggies.
Tatsoi - This mild Asian beauty has returned to the shares throughout January. After that, the increased day length causes it to bolt. Enjoy!
Spinach - We increase these plantings each year, but we just never seem to have enough! A new item this week, and it’s loaded with Vitamin A & flavor! Storage tips and recipes below.
The Combo Corner
The apple selections from Cherry Orchard this week are: Yellow (Golden) Delicious, Cameo, and Fuji. Neil writes that they have been busy pruning as weather permits. They are looking forward to spring.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Honey Oat Wheat.
About Spinach –
If you have removed the stems (which can be tough), then you are ready to begin your preparation. Spinach is easily overcooked. Briefly steam or sauté spinach just to wilt it and reduce its volume.
Here are some general cooking times:
Steam - 3-5 minutes
Blanch - 2-4 minutes
Sauté or Stir-fry - 3-5 minutes
Recipes
SPINACH NOODLES
Spinach noodles take an hour to make, including the ½-hour resting time for the dough.
Squeeze all the water out of ½ cup steamed spinach, condensing it to 1/3 cup. In a food processor, combine the spinach, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt. Process to blend.
Add 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour and process to blend. Using the pulsing action, process just enough to form a ball. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes before rolling out.
On a well-floured board (or counter), roll out the dough to a thickness of no more than 1/8 inch. Slice to make lasagna, fettuccine, or linguine.
To cook immediately, boil the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for 2 minutes, until the pasta is just tender.
To store, hang the pasta on a drying rack for 3-4 hours. Store in a moisture-proof jar in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or in the freezer for longer storage. To cook dried pasta, boil for 3-5 minutes in plenty of boiling salted water.
This information is from a wonderful resource called Joy of Gardening Cookbook. This is an ‘easy to read and understand’ cookbook that organizes the vegetables alphabetically. It was published in 1984 by Garden Way with many references to the author’s (Janet Ballantyne) experiences in her garden.
Secretly Delicious Spinach Pie - from food.com by Rose’s Granddaughter
5 jumbo eggs (or 7 large eggs)
2 tablespoons milk
3 roasted garlic cloves, crushed ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper
1 dash salt
3 slices cooked bacon, chopped
1 large flour tortilla
1 ½ cups shredded cheese
3 cups fresh spinach
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix the first six ingredients (eggs, bacon, milk, garlic, lemon pepper, and salt) in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Lay the flour tortilla in a glass pie dish, press gently – does not need to lay perfectly flat against dish.
3. Sprinkle only ½ cup cheese on tortilla.
4. Sprinkle remaining cheese and the spinach onto tortilla in layers, and press firmly
5. Pour egg mixture evenly over spinach, be careful not to pour any outside of tortilla.
6. Bake in oven at 365 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Insert fork in center and it should come out clean.
7. Use sharp knife to cut into pie slices and serve hot.
8. Other options: Instead of garlic, you can use ¼ cup onions. For added flavor, serve with homemade salsa.
ALEX’S CREAMED GREENS
4 servings
In 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil/Bacon Grease, sweat out:
-¼ cup of minced onion until translucent
- ½-1 whole clove minced garlic until it starts to brown
Sprinkle: -Garlic Powder, 1 pinch. Cook until it starts to stick to pan. Add:
-1 tablespoon White Wine Cook, until almost evaporated. Add:
-1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream Cook, re-ducing by 1/3. Add:
-1 heaping tablespoon Chevre
-1 heaping tablespoon shredded Parmesan
-Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste (Remember, you can always add more later, but you can’t take it out!
In a separate pan, cook:
-1 tablespoon Butter until it starts to darken and releases a nutty aroma; Don’t Burn! Stir it into your Cream Sauce; keep it warm, but don’t continue to reduce.
Have ready: -2 qts. Choice of Greens, thinly sliced (or how you like them)
In another pot/pan, cook greens in about 1/3 cup water until tender; drain.
Stir into Cream Sauce. Can be prepared a day in advance and reheated gently.
With two days of glorious sunshine, it’s easy to smile. With evening temperatures breaking above freezing, stress on plants and farmers is relaxed a bit. With the increasing few minutes of light each day, spring’s fast-paced fury lurks. Today, we ordered all of the seasonal start-up hardgood supplies. Over the weekend, all of the seeds were ordered. More intern visits are scheduled for late February. All of this plus the daily routines of receiving orders, harvesting, packing, and delivering are keeping us ‘plenty busy’. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. We are so grateful to be able to provide this bounty for the community. Thanks for all you do for us.
We emailed the “You Have a Reservation” letters on Monday, and thanks to all of you who have responded so far! If you did not receive one, please let us know so we can send it to you pronto! If you will be re-joining us or not, we really appreciate that you let us know your intentions. Thanks, thanks, and thanks. On Thursday this week, Julia is going to revive the Facebook postings. Many of you were happy when we started this last summer. In the hustle and bustle, I’m embarrassed to say that I forgot about it. But we were reminded, and want to make it as easy as possible for you to access all of the information, so look for us there as well as on the blog. And don’t forget to make us your ‘friend.’
One recipe this week is from our friends at Casa Nueva Restaurant. We sell them lots of greens! At this year’s Producer Appreciation Night, they served Creamed Greens and those were a hit with lots of folks. Alex graciously shared the recipe with us. (Any green will work with this recipe.) Thanks to Alex and all the terrific folks at the Casa! It was once again a fun event filled with wonderful Casa food – this is an annual dinner they host to say thank you to the many local producers that sell to them. Having just heard the weather forecast, it looks like we will be ‘battening-down the hatches’ again at the end of the week. Be safe, stay warm, and eat your veggies!
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, , Rob, Cale, Julia, Penny, Guinevere and Morgan
THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 5 varieties of lettuce, mizuna, and pe-tsai. The last two are mild Asian greens. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any extra drops of water that can form.
Mushrooms - Shiitakes this week. We hope you aren’t getting too bored with these yet. We are arranging the schedule to bring you oyster mushrooms soon.
MicroMix Microgreens – Wow! We are so pleased to bring you the other microgreens that we grow. Unlike the sunflower ones, these are more delicate, don’t store as long, and have the tangy flavor of cabbage and radish.
Sweet Potatoes - We weren’t joking when we said there was a bumper crop of sweet potatoes. We’re pleased to offer these savory spuds again.
Turnips – New to the shares this week, this is a variety called Purple Top White Globe. They are crunchy and flavorful raw, grated into salad or marinated for a raw veggie plate. Also tasty mashed like potatoes or roasted like other root veggies.
Tatsoi - This mild Asian beauty has returned to the shares throughout January. After that, the increased day length causes it to bolt. Enjoy!
Spinach - We increase these plantings each year, but we just never seem to have enough! A new item this week, and it’s loaded with Vitamin A & flavor! Storage tips and recipes below.
The Combo Corner
The apple selections from Cherry Orchard this week are: Yellow (Golden) Delicious, Cameo, and Fuji. Neil writes that they have been busy pruning as weather permits. They are looking forward to spring.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Honey Oat Wheat.
About Spinach –
If you have removed the stems (which can be tough), then you are ready to begin your preparation. Spinach is easily overcooked. Briefly steam or sauté spinach just to wilt it and reduce its volume.
Here are some general cooking times:
Steam - 3-5 minutes
Blanch - 2-4 minutes
Sauté or Stir-fry - 3-5 minutes
Recipes
SPINACH NOODLES
Spinach noodles take an hour to make, including the ½-hour resting time for the dough.
Squeeze all the water out of ½ cup steamed spinach, condensing it to 1/3 cup. In a food processor, combine the spinach, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt. Process to blend.
Add 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour and process to blend. Using the pulsing action, process just enough to form a ball. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes before rolling out.
On a well-floured board (or counter), roll out the dough to a thickness of no more than 1/8 inch. Slice to make lasagna, fettuccine, or linguine.
To cook immediately, boil the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for 2 minutes, until the pasta is just tender.
To store, hang the pasta on a drying rack for 3-4 hours. Store in a moisture-proof jar in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or in the freezer for longer storage. To cook dried pasta, boil for 3-5 minutes in plenty of boiling salted water.
This information is from a wonderful resource called Joy of Gardening Cookbook. This is an ‘easy to read and understand’ cookbook that organizes the vegetables alphabetically. It was published in 1984 by Garden Way with many references to the author’s (Janet Ballantyne) experiences in her garden.
Secretly Delicious Spinach Pie - from food.com by Rose’s Granddaughter
5 jumbo eggs (or 7 large eggs)
2 tablespoons milk
3 roasted garlic cloves, crushed ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper
1 dash salt
3 slices cooked bacon, chopped
1 large flour tortilla
1 ½ cups shredded cheese
3 cups fresh spinach
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix the first six ingredients (eggs, bacon, milk, garlic, lemon pepper, and salt) in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Lay the flour tortilla in a glass pie dish, press gently – does not need to lay perfectly flat against dish.
3. Sprinkle only ½ cup cheese on tortilla.
4. Sprinkle remaining cheese and the spinach onto tortilla in layers, and press firmly
5. Pour egg mixture evenly over spinach, be careful not to pour any outside of tortilla.
6. Bake in oven at 365 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Insert fork in center and it should come out clean.
7. Use sharp knife to cut into pie slices and serve hot.
8. Other options: Instead of garlic, you can use ¼ cup onions. For added flavor, serve with homemade salsa.
ALEX’S CREAMED GREENS
4 servings
In 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil/Bacon Grease, sweat out:
-¼ cup of minced onion until translucent
- ½-1 whole clove minced garlic until it starts to brown
Sprinkle: -Garlic Powder, 1 pinch. Cook until it starts to stick to pan. Add:
-1 tablespoon White Wine Cook, until almost evaporated. Add:
-1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream Cook, re-ducing by 1/3. Add:
-1 heaping tablespoon Chevre
-1 heaping tablespoon shredded Parmesan
-Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste (Remember, you can always add more later, but you can’t take it out!
In a separate pan, cook:
-1 tablespoon Butter until it starts to darken and releases a nutty aroma; Don’t Burn! Stir it into your Cream Sauce; keep it warm, but don’t continue to reduce.
Have ready: -2 qts. Choice of Greens, thinly sliced (or how you like them)
In another pot/pan, cook greens in about 1/3 cup water until tender; drain.
Stir into Cream Sauce. Can be prepared a day in advance and reheated gently.
January 14, 2011
Week 6 Veggie List
Veggie List for 1/19 and 1/22 Pick-Ups
Microgreens Mix
Turnips
Spinach
Salad Mix
Shiitake Mushrooms
Sweet Potatoes
Tatsoi
Microgreens Mix
Turnips
Spinach
Salad Mix
Shiitake Mushrooms
Sweet Potatoes
Tatsoi
January 12, 2011
Week 5 Newsletter
Week #5 January 12, 2011
There are advantages to living between the township garage and the main road. The biggest one is that the road to the farm is the 1st one plowed and treated after a snowfall. Today was no exception. Yesterday, we kept the driveways cleared of snow as best we could, so that the truck could get to the road that was so nicely plowed and treated. It’s good that the scenery is so beautiful after a snow, because the trade-off is lots of extra work!
As mentioned last week, the summer sign-up information is finished. Look for an email with “You Have a Reservation” to view this summer’s information. Because you are signed up now, you and the other folks from last summer get the 1st opportunity to put your name on the list. You don’t have to pay everything now, but we will need a deposit to hold your spot. Just let us know.
Kip has been busy developing the plans for a new equipment shed so that all of the implements (disk, rotovator, tractor, etc.) can all be housed in one spot under a roof. This is a project that has needed to happen for many years, and we are thrilled it’s time has finally arrived. Dan has been busy putting the finishing touches on a newly formatted “Crop Log”. With this information, we can quickly access lots of different information by crop variety. We track things like the time it takes from seed to harvest, the yields of different varieties of the same veggie, spacing vs. yield, diseases (if any), treatments (if used), comparisons from previous years, and on, and on. We hope to be able to use this to improve (constantly) what we do and how we do it. Better for you, and better for us.
We met with the webmaster Tuesday morning to review new updates to the website. She should have things pretty well in place in just a couple of days. Many thanks to Rob who spearheaded this little side project. Take a look and tell us what you think. Just a reminder to share your favorite recipes with us. We are always ex-cited when you send us new ways for using these wonder-ful foods.
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, , Rob, Cale, Julia, Penny, Guinevere, and Morgan
THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Sweet Potatoes - These beauties are packed with Vit. A & C, and dietary fiber. Sweet potatoes are strongly anti-inflammatory.
Mushrooms - Shiitake mushrooms are in the share this week. We hope you enjoy them. Don’t forget about creating a wonderful mushroom broth by simmering the stems in salted wa-ter for about 1 ½ hours.
Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 5 varieties of lettuce, mizuna, and pe-tsai. The last two are mild Asian greens. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any extra drops of water that can form.
Kale - Some recipes are in last week’s newsletter, but there is one more on page 2. It is also a tremendous source of Vitamins A & K.
Tatsoi - This mild Asian green has returned through January. After that, the increased day length causes it to bolt. Enjoy!
Beets - These ‘Red Ace’ beets are typically uniform in size, sweet and tender. We hope you love them! High in vitamins and minerals. Notes on page 2 for peeling or ‘slipping the skins.’
Arugula - This versatile green can be used raw in salads or steamed. Its peppery flavor will delight or disgust. These greens are also very balanced with vitamins and min-erals.
Sunflower Microgreens - If you’re not familiar with micro-greens, you are in for a surprise! Unlike sprouts (which are only grown in water), these are grown in soil and therefore im-part the nutritional additions from the soil. These have a mild, almost nutty flavor and are juicy and crunchy.
Nutritional information is found at www.nutritiondata.com
The Combo Corner
The apple selections from Cherry Orchard are Stayman and Yellow (Golden) Delicious.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Italian Whole Wheat.
Our first intern candidates arrived today. They braved a drive from northwest Michigan to visit.
If you also know of someone who might be interested in one of these positions, please have them contact us at: info@greenedgegardens.com
This is a little tip repeated from last week’s newsletter: Still-Tasty.com has some useful and interesting information about kale.
Refrigerate kale in a plastic bag; do not wash until ready to use.
Freezing kale can mean it will store up to 10 months. Wash the kale and remove the stems. Blanch (plunge into boiling water) for two minutes and chill quickly in ice water. Drain off excess moisture, package in airtight containers or freezer bags and freeze immediately.
RECIPES
KALE PESTO
3 cups kale, cut into strips
1 ½ cups pine nuts (sunnies can be substituted)
4 cloves garlic
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Cut the kale in strips. Peel the garlic cloves. Put ½ of the kale, pine nuts, garlic, and oil into the food processor. Blend until coarsely ground. Add the rest of the ingredients including salt and pepper. Blend into a smooth paste. You may need to add a little more oil or pine nuts to achieve the consis- tency that you prefer.
Dandelion Greens* with Double Garlic
(from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman)
*substitute any of the greens you receive
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup thinly sliced garlic cloves (5-6 cloves), plus 1 tsp minced garlic or more to taste
½ tsp hot red pepper flakes or more to taste
salt/freshly ground pepper
1 pound dandelion greens* w/ stems, washed and roughly chopped (remove ribs)
½ cup chicken/beef/vegetable stock
lemon wedges for serving (optional)
1) put olive oil in large, deep saucepan w/ lid over medium heat, when hot add sliced garlic, red pepper flakes, some salt/pepper and cook about 1 minute
2) add greens and stock, cover and cook until greens are wilted and just tender but still a little firm, about 5 minutes
3) uncover pan, continue to cook, stirring until liquid has all but evaporated and greens are quite tender, at least 5 minutes more; taste for sea-soning add red/black pepper and salt as needed, add minced garlic, cook for 1 minute more and serve hot or at room temp w/ lemon wedges if desired.
5 ounces arugula
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon peel, grated
Toss arugula with olive oil, lemon juice, and peel. Toss to coat.
from epicurious.com
Arugula Pesto ~foodnet-work.com
4 cups packed fresh arugula
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup pure olive oil
2 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted, plus 1 table-spoon
1/8 teaspoon vitamin C (optional)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl, and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put the arugula in a large sieve and plunge it into the boiling water. Immediately immerse all the arugula and stir so that it blanches evenly. Blanch for about 15 seconds. Remove, shake off the excess water, then plunge the arugula into the ice water bath, and stir again so it cools as fast as possible. Drain well.
Squeeze the water out of the arugula with your hands until very dry. Roughly chop the arugula and put in a blender. Add the garlic, salt and pepper to taste, olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the pine nuts, and the vitamin C, if using. Blend for at least 30 seconds. In this way, the green of the arugula will thoroughly color the oil. Add the cheese and pulse to combine. The pesto will keep several days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
Pull out before dinner to get to room temperature. Before serving, add the remaining 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts.
There are advantages to living between the township garage and the main road. The biggest one is that the road to the farm is the 1st one plowed and treated after a snowfall. Today was no exception. Yesterday, we kept the driveways cleared of snow as best we could, so that the truck could get to the road that was so nicely plowed and treated. It’s good that the scenery is so beautiful after a snow, because the trade-off is lots of extra work!
As mentioned last week, the summer sign-up information is finished. Look for an email with “You Have a Reservation” to view this summer’s information. Because you are signed up now, you and the other folks from last summer get the 1st opportunity to put your name on the list. You don’t have to pay everything now, but we will need a deposit to hold your spot. Just let us know.
Kip has been busy developing the plans for a new equipment shed so that all of the implements (disk, rotovator, tractor, etc.) can all be housed in one spot under a roof. This is a project that has needed to happen for many years, and we are thrilled it’s time has finally arrived. Dan has been busy putting the finishing touches on a newly formatted “Crop Log”. With this information, we can quickly access lots of different information by crop variety. We track things like the time it takes from seed to harvest, the yields of different varieties of the same veggie, spacing vs. yield, diseases (if any), treatments (if used), comparisons from previous years, and on, and on. We hope to be able to use this to improve (constantly) what we do and how we do it. Better for you, and better for us.
We met with the webmaster Tuesday morning to review new updates to the website. She should have things pretty well in place in just a couple of days. Many thanks to Rob who spearheaded this little side project. Take a look and tell us what you think. Just a reminder to share your favorite recipes with us. We are always ex-cited when you send us new ways for using these wonder-ful foods.
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, , Rob, Cale, Julia, Penny, Guinevere, and Morgan
THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Sweet Potatoes - These beauties are packed with Vit. A & C, and dietary fiber. Sweet potatoes are strongly anti-inflammatory.
Mushrooms - Shiitake mushrooms are in the share this week. We hope you enjoy them. Don’t forget about creating a wonderful mushroom broth by simmering the stems in salted wa-ter for about 1 ½ hours.
Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 5 varieties of lettuce, mizuna, and pe-tsai. The last two are mild Asian greens. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any extra drops of water that can form.
Kale - Some recipes are in last week’s newsletter, but there is one more on page 2. It is also a tremendous source of Vitamins A & K.
Tatsoi - This mild Asian green has returned through January. After that, the increased day length causes it to bolt. Enjoy!
Beets - These ‘Red Ace’ beets are typically uniform in size, sweet and tender. We hope you love them! High in vitamins and minerals. Notes on page 2 for peeling or ‘slipping the skins.’
Arugula - This versatile green can be used raw in salads or steamed. Its peppery flavor will delight or disgust. These greens are also very balanced with vitamins and min-erals.
Sunflower Microgreens - If you’re not familiar with micro-greens, you are in for a surprise! Unlike sprouts (which are only grown in water), these are grown in soil and therefore im-part the nutritional additions from the soil. These have a mild, almost nutty flavor and are juicy and crunchy.
Nutritional information is found at www.nutritiondata.com
The Combo Corner
The apple selections from Cherry Orchard are Stayman and Yellow (Golden) Delicious.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Italian Whole Wheat.
Our first intern candidates arrived today. They braved a drive from northwest Michigan to visit.
If you also know of someone who might be interested in one of these positions, please have them contact us at: info@greenedgegardens.com
This is a little tip repeated from last week’s newsletter: Still-Tasty.com has some useful and interesting information about kale.
Refrigerate kale in a plastic bag; do not wash until ready to use.
Freezing kale can mean it will store up to 10 months. Wash the kale and remove the stems. Blanch (plunge into boiling water) for two minutes and chill quickly in ice water. Drain off excess moisture, package in airtight containers or freezer bags and freeze immediately.
RECIPES
KALE PESTO
3 cups kale, cut into strips
1 ½ cups pine nuts (sunnies can be substituted)
4 cloves garlic
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Cut the kale in strips. Peel the garlic cloves. Put ½ of the kale, pine nuts, garlic, and oil into the food processor. Blend until coarsely ground. Add the rest of the ingredients including salt and pepper. Blend into a smooth paste. You may need to add a little more oil or pine nuts to achieve the consis- tency that you prefer.
Dandelion Greens* with Double Garlic
(from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman)
*substitute any of the greens you receive
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup thinly sliced garlic cloves (5-6 cloves), plus 1 tsp minced garlic or more to taste
½ tsp hot red pepper flakes or more to taste
salt/freshly ground pepper
1 pound dandelion greens* w/ stems, washed and roughly chopped (remove ribs)
½ cup chicken/beef/vegetable stock
lemon wedges for serving (optional)
1) put olive oil in large, deep saucepan w/ lid over medium heat, when hot add sliced garlic, red pepper flakes, some salt/pepper and cook about 1 minute
2) add greens and stock, cover and cook until greens are wilted and just tender but still a little firm, about 5 minutes
3) uncover pan, continue to cook, stirring until liquid has all but evaporated and greens are quite tender, at least 5 minutes more; taste for sea-soning add red/black pepper and salt as needed, add minced garlic, cook for 1 minute more and serve hot or at room temp w/ lemon wedges if desired.
Thanks to member Ashley B. for sharing this versatile recipe. It works for all of the greens you get!
Arugula Salad5 ounces arugula
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon peel, grated
Toss arugula with olive oil, lemon juice, and peel. Toss to coat.
from epicurious.com
Arugula Pesto ~foodnet-work.com
4 cups packed fresh arugula
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup pure olive oil
2 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted, plus 1 table-spoon
1/8 teaspoon vitamin C (optional)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl, and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put the arugula in a large sieve and plunge it into the boiling water. Immediately immerse all the arugula and stir so that it blanches evenly. Blanch for about 15 seconds. Remove, shake off the excess water, then plunge the arugula into the ice water bath, and stir again so it cools as fast as possible. Drain well.
Squeeze the water out of the arugula with your hands until very dry. Roughly chop the arugula and put in a blender. Add the garlic, salt and pepper to taste, olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the pine nuts, and the vitamin C, if using. Blend for at least 30 seconds. In this way, the green of the arugula will thoroughly color the oil. Add the cheese and pulse to combine. The pesto will keep several days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
Pull out before dinner to get to room temperature. Before serving, add the remaining 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts.
January 9, 2011
Week 5 Veggie List
Veggie List for 1/12 and 1/15 Pickups:
Kale
Arugula
Sweet Potatoes
Beets
Tatsoi
Salad Mix
Sunflower Microgreens
Shiitake Mushrooms
Kale
Arugula
Sweet Potatoes
Beets
Tatsoi
Salad Mix
Sunflower Microgreens
Shiitake Mushrooms
January 5, 2011
Newsletter for Week 4
Week #4 January 4, 2011
Hello! Welcome back! Happy New Year! These are just a few of the greetings we send your way. It is certainly great to be back to the weekly routine. We missed you, and according to the emails in response to Rob’s message about the contents this week, many of you missed us just as much. I have to say, that makes us feel great too. The break from the cold temperatures last week was a real treat as it meant three days when no one had to come to help cover the houses in the evening. The sunshine today (Tuesday) has allowed the crew to harvest in complete comfort in the houses. Quite a treat for January!
Two new items come to you this week: beets and kale. If you were with us last winter, you will remember that our beet crop failed, but not so this year. We hope to have enough for three deliveries this season. Alas, the butternut squashes are through. While most of the ‘off-time’ was taken up with simply managing with fewer staff, there were still some accomplishments around the farm. Kip was finally able to re-tie the strings that work the automatic side opener in the hothouse. Some of them were loose so the closure was not complete. This meant lots of cold air rushing in through the cracks. Repairs to the drain in the mushroom grow room and to a fan drive belt are also complete. Of course, the warmer weather meant that weeding was necessary, and we needed to run the drip irrigation in the houses. An improvement made to the irrigation tank last spring has made it possible to use the drip ir-rigation this winter. No more dragging hoses from one house to another and overhead watering. What a time saver!
The postings for this summer’s internships are at OEFFA, ATTRA, and the WWOOF websites. These apprenticeships fill quickly. If you know of anyone with a desire to learn about and live on a farm, please have them contact us: info@greenedgegardens.com Don’t forget that you can check out all of the shenanigans at the farm on the blog: www.greenedgegardens.blogspot.com Look for new pictures of the veggies, the crew, and other things which catch Rob’s eagle eye!
From all of us at Green Edge, Becky (Kip, Dan, John, , Rob, Cale, Julia, Penny, Guinevere
THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Beets – The first of three times that we expect you will receive beets. These ‘Red Ace’ beets are typically uniform in size, sweet and tender. We hope you love them! Notes on page 2 for storing and ‘slipping the skins.’
Sweet Potato - You can refer to Week #3’s newsletter for storing tips and recipes. These delicious sweet tubers make a great side dish for meat, an addition to soups or served for dessert in a pie!
Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 7 varieties of lettuce, mizuna, and pe-tsai. The last two are mild Asian greens. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any extra drops of water that can form.
Kale - One of our all-time favo-rites. We love it raw, massaged, steamed, in soup, etc., etc.
Collards- We hope you were able to try the sweet stems of these beauties last time. If not, well, there’s this week… In addition, the greens are sweet and flavorful, but remember they need a little longer cooking time than some of the other greens.
Mushrooms - Shiitakes again… you can bet on it. The shiitakes are so flavorful and meaty. We are also trying to grow enough oysters to have for you but so far, it remains elusive. We’ll keep trying though.
Sunflower Microgreens - If you’re not familiar with micro-greens, you are in for a surprise! Unlike sprouts (which are only grown in water), these are grown in soil and therefore im-part the nutritional additions from the soil. These have a mild, almost nutty flavor and are juicy and crunchy.
The Combo Corner
The apple selections from Cherry Orchard this week are Fuji, Mutzu, Yellow Delicious, and Red Delicious.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Oatmeal Stout Bread made from organic whole wheat, white flour and oats, stout ale, Cantrell honey, organic cocoa, salt, and yeast. Chewy and flavorful, it makes terrifically satisfying sandwiches, or you can enjoy it toasted with butter for breakfast.
StillTasty.com has some useful and interesting in-formation about kale. • Refrigerate kale in a plastic bag; do not wash until ready to use.
• Freezing kale can mean it will store up to 10 months. Wash the kale and remove the stems. Blanch (plunge into boiling water) for two minutes and chill quickly in ice water. Drain off excess moisture, package in airtight containers or freezer bags and freeze immediately.
ALL THINGS BEET…..
With beets, peeling is done after the cooking. My mom always called it ‘slipping the skins’. Cool the ccoked beet so that it can be held in the hand. Then you just squeeze a little and the skin will slip right off. Beets can be cooked a number of ways, steaming, baking, boiling or blanching. Boiling is probably the fastest method, but you can lose some of the color and flavor. Steaming works well also, but make sure you have enough water in the pan. A 2-3” beet will steam in 15-20 minutes. Baking results in less loss of color than any method. Many cooks however, prefer to use them raw and grated for salads and garnishes.
Recipes
MASSAGED KALE
Wash and dry the kale. De-stem the kale. You can save the stems for later sautéing. Tear the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces and place in bowl. Drizzle the kale with olive oil, ho-ney, and either lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. With both hands in the bowl, begin to ‘massage’ the kale. The acid from the lemon juice (or vinegar) reacts with the broken leaves and causes them to wilt and taste and appear cooked. It’s a remarkable dish. Ready in no time. Additions and enhancements that the farm crew has tried include dried cranberries, toasted sesame seeds, walnuts, and even more were great too!
SAUSAGE, KALE & WHITE BEAN SOUP
1 c. dry navy beans, soak in water overnight
1 large bunch kale, rinsed, stemmed & torn
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound spicy linguica sausage, sliced
1 cup sliced shallots (onions are okay)
4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon hot sauce, to taste
1. Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Cook the soaked beans in a pressure cooker in 4 cups of water for 25 minutes. Do not drain.
2. Bring a second pot of salted water to a boil. Add the kale and simmer until kale is bright green and tender, about 2 minutes. Drain in a strainer, and cool under cold running water. Set aside.
3. Heat olive oil over medium heat in the soup pot. Brown the linguica slices on each side, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add shallots to pot and cook until soft, about 3 min-utes. Pour in a splash of chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits of sausage.
4. Return the sausage to the pot along with the beans and their cooking liquid. Stir in the chicken broth. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer un-covered for 15 minutes. Add the kale and cook about 4 minutes longer. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. ~ from al-lrecipes.com
BEETS AND ORANGE SALAD - Slice cooked beets and combine with orange sections and minced scallions. Use a honey and curry dressing.
BEETS AND APPLE SALAD - Dice cooked beets and combine with diced apples in a vinai-grette dressing or that honey and curry one.
HONEY AND CURRY DRESSING – Whisk together 2/3 cup of salad oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, ¼ cup honey, 1 teaspoon curry powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Pour over salads. Yield about 1 ½ cups.
LEFTOVER BEETS can be made into a wonderful dip for raw vegetables. Puree the cooked beets in a food proces-sor. For every cup of puree, add 8 ounces of cream cheese (sof-tened), 1 teaspoon horseradish, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons minced red onion, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 table-spoon grated orange rind. Mix it all together in a food processor and chill well before serving.
PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370 12-8pm
TIBET – 614-784-8124 11am-6pm
BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951 3-8pm
UPPER ARLINGTON- 614-506-3086 4-8pm
CLINTONVILLE COOP – 614-261-3663 11 am-8 pm
PLATES STUDIO –DUBLIN - 614-336-9502 4-8 pm
HYACINTH BEAN – 740-594-9302 12-6pm
Please remember to call your host first if problems arise. Since they are closer to you, they can usually resolve the problem. Feel free to call us if the host is unable to help you – 740-448-4021 Thanks! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Already it is time for me to start the nagging about the return of the green bags. This is important. Please help us with this. The bags represent your and our commitments to lessening the burden of packaging, but it only works when the bags are returned. If you have trouble with remembering, try bringing your own bags with you to pickup and simply transfer the veggies to your bags and leave ours at the pickup site. It could work….
Hello! Welcome back! Happy New Year! These are just a few of the greetings we send your way. It is certainly great to be back to the weekly routine. We missed you, and according to the emails in response to Rob’s message about the contents this week, many of you missed us just as much. I have to say, that makes us feel great too. The break from the cold temperatures last week was a real treat as it meant three days when no one had to come to help cover the houses in the evening. The sunshine today (Tuesday) has allowed the crew to harvest in complete comfort in the houses. Quite a treat for January!
Two new items come to you this week: beets and kale. If you were with us last winter, you will remember that our beet crop failed, but not so this year. We hope to have enough for three deliveries this season. Alas, the butternut squashes are through. While most of the ‘off-time’ was taken up with simply managing with fewer staff, there were still some accomplishments around the farm. Kip was finally able to re-tie the strings that work the automatic side opener in the hothouse. Some of them were loose so the closure was not complete. This meant lots of cold air rushing in through the cracks. Repairs to the drain in the mushroom grow room and to a fan drive belt are also complete. Of course, the warmer weather meant that weeding was necessary, and we needed to run the drip irrigation in the houses. An improvement made to the irrigation tank last spring has made it possible to use the drip ir-rigation this winter. No more dragging hoses from one house to another and overhead watering. What a time saver!
The postings for this summer’s internships are at OEFFA, ATTRA, and the WWOOF websites. These apprenticeships fill quickly. If you know of anyone with a desire to learn about and live on a farm, please have them contact us: info@greenedgegardens.com Don’t forget that you can check out all of the shenanigans at the farm on the blog: www.greenedgegardens.blogspot.com Look for new pictures of the veggies, the crew, and other things which catch Rob’s eagle eye!
From all of us at Green Edge, Becky (Kip, Dan, John, , Rob, Cale, Julia, Penny, Guinevere
THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Beets – The first of three times that we expect you will receive beets. These ‘Red Ace’ beets are typically uniform in size, sweet and tender. We hope you love them! Notes on page 2 for storing and ‘slipping the skins.’
Sweet Potato - You can refer to Week #3’s newsletter for storing tips and recipes. These delicious sweet tubers make a great side dish for meat, an addition to soups or served for dessert in a pie!
Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 7 varieties of lettuce, mizuna, and pe-tsai. The last two are mild Asian greens. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any extra drops of water that can form.
Kale - One of our all-time favo-rites. We love it raw, massaged, steamed, in soup, etc., etc.
Collards- We hope you were able to try the sweet stems of these beauties last time. If not, well, there’s this week… In addition, the greens are sweet and flavorful, but remember they need a little longer cooking time than some of the other greens.
Mushrooms - Shiitakes again… you can bet on it. The shiitakes are so flavorful and meaty. We are also trying to grow enough oysters to have for you but so far, it remains elusive. We’ll keep trying though.
Sunflower Microgreens - If you’re not familiar with micro-greens, you are in for a surprise! Unlike sprouts (which are only grown in water), these are grown in soil and therefore im-part the nutritional additions from the soil. These have a mild, almost nutty flavor and are juicy and crunchy.
The Combo Corner
The apple selections from Cherry Orchard this week are Fuji, Mutzu, Yellow Delicious, and Red Delicious.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Oatmeal Stout Bread made from organic whole wheat, white flour and oats, stout ale, Cantrell honey, organic cocoa, salt, and yeast. Chewy and flavorful, it makes terrifically satisfying sandwiches, or you can enjoy it toasted with butter for breakfast.
StillTasty.com has some useful and interesting in-formation about kale. • Refrigerate kale in a plastic bag; do not wash until ready to use.
• Freezing kale can mean it will store up to 10 months. Wash the kale and remove the stems. Blanch (plunge into boiling water) for two minutes and chill quickly in ice water. Drain off excess moisture, package in airtight containers or freezer bags and freeze immediately.
ALL THINGS BEET…..
With beets, peeling is done after the cooking. My mom always called it ‘slipping the skins’. Cool the ccoked beet so that it can be held in the hand. Then you just squeeze a little and the skin will slip right off. Beets can be cooked a number of ways, steaming, baking, boiling or blanching. Boiling is probably the fastest method, but you can lose some of the color and flavor. Steaming works well also, but make sure you have enough water in the pan. A 2-3” beet will steam in 15-20 minutes. Baking results in less loss of color than any method. Many cooks however, prefer to use them raw and grated for salads and garnishes.
Recipes
MASSAGED KALE
Wash and dry the kale. De-stem the kale. You can save the stems for later sautéing. Tear the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces and place in bowl. Drizzle the kale with olive oil, ho-ney, and either lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. With both hands in the bowl, begin to ‘massage’ the kale. The acid from the lemon juice (or vinegar) reacts with the broken leaves and causes them to wilt and taste and appear cooked. It’s a remarkable dish. Ready in no time. Additions and enhancements that the farm crew has tried include dried cranberries, toasted sesame seeds, walnuts, and even more were great too!
SAUSAGE, KALE & WHITE BEAN SOUP
1 c. dry navy beans, soak in water overnight
1 large bunch kale, rinsed, stemmed & torn
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound spicy linguica sausage, sliced
1 cup sliced shallots (onions are okay)
4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon hot sauce, to taste
1. Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Cook the soaked beans in a pressure cooker in 4 cups of water for 25 minutes. Do not drain.
2. Bring a second pot of salted water to a boil. Add the kale and simmer until kale is bright green and tender, about 2 minutes. Drain in a strainer, and cool under cold running water. Set aside.
3. Heat olive oil over medium heat in the soup pot. Brown the linguica slices on each side, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add shallots to pot and cook until soft, about 3 min-utes. Pour in a splash of chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits of sausage.
4. Return the sausage to the pot along with the beans and their cooking liquid. Stir in the chicken broth. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer un-covered for 15 minutes. Add the kale and cook about 4 minutes longer. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. ~ from al-lrecipes.com
BEETS AND ORANGE SALAD - Slice cooked beets and combine with orange sections and minced scallions. Use a honey and curry dressing.
BEETS AND APPLE SALAD - Dice cooked beets and combine with diced apples in a vinai-grette dressing or that honey and curry one.
HONEY AND CURRY DRESSING – Whisk together 2/3 cup of salad oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, ¼ cup honey, 1 teaspoon curry powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Pour over salads. Yield about 1 ½ cups.
LEFTOVER BEETS can be made into a wonderful dip for raw vegetables. Puree the cooked beets in a food proces-sor. For every cup of puree, add 8 ounces of cream cheese (sof-tened), 1 teaspoon horseradish, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons minced red onion, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 table-spoon grated orange rind. Mix it all together in a food processor and chill well before serving.
PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370 12-8pm
TIBET – 614-784-8124 11am-6pm
BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951 3-8pm
UPPER ARLINGTON- 614-506-3086 4-8pm
CLINTONVILLE COOP – 614-261-3663 11 am-8 pm
PLATES STUDIO –DUBLIN - 614-336-9502 4-8 pm
HYACINTH BEAN – 740-594-9302 12-6pm
Please remember to call your host first if problems arise. Since they are closer to you, they can usually resolve the problem. Feel free to call us if the host is unable to help you – 740-448-4021 Thanks! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Already it is time for me to start the nagging about the return of the green bags. This is important. Please help us with this. The bags represent your and our commitments to lessening the burden of packaging, but it only works when the bags are returned. If you have trouble with remembering, try bringing your own bags with you to pickup and simply transfer the veggies to your bags and leave ours at the pickup site. It could work….
January 2, 2011
Veggie List for Week Four
Veggie List for 1/5 and 1/8 Pickups
Sweet Potatoes
Beets
Kale
Collard Greens
Salad Mix
Sunflower Microgreens
Shiitake Mushrooms
Sweet Potatoes
Beets
Kale
Collard Greens
Salad Mix
Sunflower Microgreens
Shiitake Mushrooms
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